By John Byczkowski and Erica Solvig
Enquirer staff writers
Luxottica Group, owner of LensCrafters stores, plans to move several hundred jobs to its North American headquarters in Mason next year as it consolidates jobs from the headquarters of newly acquired Cole National Corp. in Twinsburg, Ohio.
Luxottica, headquartered in Milan, Italy, and the largest eyewear retailer in the United States, on Monday closed its $495 million acquisition of No. 2 Cole, which owns Pearle Vision eyewear stores. The merged company will have about 20 percent of the U.S. eyewear market.
In combining the two companies, "we're hoping to bring several hundred jobs down to the Cincinnati area," Luxottica spokeswoman Kathy Clark said. "We don't have a final count at this point."
The Mason offices currently employ about 750. Jobs coming from Cole include positions in finance, marketing, information technology and managed vision care.
As Mason gains jobs, Twinsburg - near Cleveland - will lose Cole and its 800 headquarters employees, who were told of the company's plans Tuesday. Clark would not describe possible severance benefits, saying only, "We're taking care of everyone up there."
Things Remembered stores, owned by Cole, will maintain offices and facilities in Highland Heights, Ohio.
Luca Biondolillo, director of corporate communications for Luxottica in Milan, said the company will offer jobs to many Cole employees. It was unclear whether all 800 positions in Twinsburg will be moved or whether some will be eliminated.
"We're hoping as many people as possible do move down to Cincinnati," he said. "It's important for us to make sure that the people who work within the Cole National organization benefit from the opportunities and growth that our company is able to offer them."
Luxottica owns 2,500 LensCrafters and Sunglass Hut International stores in the United States and Canada and sells eyewear worldwide. Sales last year topped $3.5 billion.
Cole National has about 2,100 outlets, including vision care stores in Sears and Target stores. It had $1.2 billion in sales last year.
Luxottica is Mason's third-largest employer, behind Procter & Gamble Health Care Research Center and Cintas Corp.
Mason city officials said Wednesday's news wasn't a major surprise. When the Warren County city and the state of Ohio offered Luxottica $11 million in tax incentives in 2001 to build their $36 million headquarters here, it was with the understanding that the company would add 265 full-time jobs within three years.
"When we recruited Luxottica, we recruited them here knowing full and well that Luxottica was a very high-growth company that had ambitious plans in the future," City Manager Scot Lahrmer said. "The acquisition of Cole pretty much fits into the portrayal that Luxottica was planning on growing."
The city did not offer any special incentives to secure the extra jobs announced Wednesday. The company's facility was built with space for growth, Mayor Peter Beck said.
"Anytime that anyone can bring jobs within the economy, it's a very good thing for the whole region," said John Harris, president of the Chamber of Northeast Cincinnati. "They are a major employer in the city and their community spirit is without question. I think its absolutely good news for the area."
About the Luxottica Group
